Royal honour for ferry rescue duo

Initial image of the stranded ferry Riverdance

Thousands of people came to see Riverdance stranded on the beach

Two men who helped airlift passengers from a stricken ferry which ran aground in Lancashire have been awarded Queens Gallantry Medals.

Kevin Regan, from Bootle, Merseyside, a Royal Navy helicopter winch man, helped save about 20 people from the stranded Riverdance ferry in January 2008.

RAF Warrant officer Richard Taylor, of Timperley, Greater Manchester, was also honoured for his rescue role.

The pair received their medals at Buckingham Palace.

Leading aircrewman Mr Regan said: "We were expecting a quiet night at work we weren't expecting anyone to be out in that weather.

"So when the call came in that there was a ferry out and in trouble, we were shocked at first that somebody was out in those conditions.

The pair said they were honoured to received the medals

"It was only when we arrived on scene and saw the ferry in trouble that it hit home that it was going to be a big job."

He is also receiving his medal for rescuing a man from Loch Long in Argyll, Scotland, in June 2007.

The Riverdance ferry ran aground off the Lancashire coast in January 2008 after being hit by a freak wave as it sailed from Northern Ireland to Heysham.

Mr Taylor said: "I've seen a lot of big boats in trouble, but never to the extent that that one was.

"She was pitching over some 60 degrees on the port side which is unusual, to see a boat of that size being thrown around like a small fishing boat."

The Riverdance was dismantled in pieces after attracting thousands of tourists who went to Cleveleys to see it stuck in the sand.